Thou hast forsaken Me.
God forsaking and God forsaken
I. A God-forsaking people. Conviction by God Himself of this great folly and sin. In Jeremiah 2:13, the charge is more complete. Creation is called upon to express surprise at a folly so conspicuous.
1. “Thou”--who oughtest to have been unto Me a loyal and loving people, testifying of My power and grace, and proving by separation from the nation your preference for the living and true God.
2. “Hast forsaken”--not simply forgotten, or disobeyed, but of deliberate choice hast taken other gods, and disregarded Jehovah.
3. “Me”--who called Abraham, etc.
II. A God-forsaken people.
1. Always retrograde. Unless they repent and obey God, there is no way forward and upward.
2. Always in danger of destruction. If we forsake the mercy, we inherit the misery.
3. Always exposed to terrors and disasters.
4. Always drifting into languor, premature decline, shame, and death. (W. Whale.)
How men forsake God
A rule I have had for years is to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend. It is not a creed, a mere empty doctrine, but it is Christ Himself we have. The moment we receive Christ we should receive Him as a friend. When I go away from home I bid my wife and children good-bye; I bid my friends and acquaintances good-bye; but I never heard of a poor backslider going down on his knees and saying, “I have been near You for ten years. Your service has become tedious and monotonous. I have come to bid You farewell. Good-bye, Lord Jesus Christ!” I never heard of one doing this. I will tell you how they go away; they just run away. (D. L. Moody.)